Tuesday, November 8, 2011

DTI reports bright opportunities of “ bayong” production in Sorsogon


By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, NOVEMBER 8 (PIA)….Through the convergence efforts here by the different local governments, government line agencies , private sectors and local manufacturers, the Department of Trade and Industry, through its provincial director Leah Pagao said that bayong production has been intensified as Sorsogon’s one best export product.

Marinella Hernandez division chief of DTI Sorsogon product division reported the voluminous demand of bayong in both the local and global markets as reflected in the sales given by the different local manufacturers here in several activities held here and Manila last month.

The just concluded Orgulyo nin Bicol held in Manila made a very remarkable sales as recorded from 2009 to June 2011 activities and events initiated by DTI for the Bayong Product Development generated P11,821,500 investments.

Export sales generated P33, 867.713 while in the domestic scene it generated 1,206 jobs. DTI has assisted 405 Small and Medium Enterprise and developed 315 new enterprises in the region.

Bayong is a local product made here out of the local materials such as karagumoy, buri pandan, seagrass (locally named agas), abaca, water hyacinth, bamboo and rattan.

It has also been recommended by almost all local government here as the alternative biodegradable material  vis-a vis plastic shopping bags.

It is now widely promoted as a a product to be used as shopping bag/ container consistent with Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Waste Management Act.

Sorsogon being one of the biggest sources of these raw materials if provided with the right support and assistance through the massive propagation of these plants in the countryside can make bayong production as of one of the products that will create solution to poverty here and propel employment specially among women according to Pagao.

DTI Sorsogon,explained that bayong production requires only low investment and light technology as this can be mass produced in homes.

If fully supported by all local government units, according to Pagao, it will ultimately help revolutionalize the development of SMEs in the countryside.

The use of bayong  will also lessen the use of plastics thus reduce non-biodegradable waste harmful to the environment.

It will promote job generation and, help boost our local designers' creativity as the use of bayong is now trendy to fashion enthusiasts who promote eco-friendly bags.


It will also lessen soil erosion and flooding should massive propagation of these plants along the countryside be done.

DTI in the current Kasanggayahan Festival 2011 has reported that the sales generated by the local governments and producers who joined in the one month activity here  have sold a lot of these trendy bayongs, a mechanism to promote tourism products in the province.(PIA-SORSOGON)

No comments: